It was the turn of the century. The 20th century. 1901 to be specific. Automobiles were ripping up the streets and highways. Scaring horses, endangering people.

Connecticut became the first State to impose speed limits on motor vehicles. 12 mph in the cities, 15 mph on country roads.

Hard to believe. Everything starts somewhere, however.

Began my sunday working on this week’s KONK Life column. Right To Declare War. A power Constitutionally Congress’. One which has been usurped by the Presidency since the Korean War.

Comcast absorbed an hour. Second day in a row I had to spend considerable time on the phone with Comcast and I still am without TV.

Friday, I was told it was the remotes. Get two new ones. I did. I was not able to coordinate them with the sets. Meant I still had no TV.

Back on the phone yesterday. After an hour was told it was not the remote. It was the box. Someone would be at my home between 1 and 3 today to fix.

In the several hours following yesterday’s repair call, I received 4 calls from Comcast personnel. All real people. Wow! To remind me how sorry they were for my problem, was it still continuing, someone would be there tomorrow (today) to fix.

Why all the bullshit? Just get some one over here to solve the problem.

Early evening, Kate Miano’s Gardens. Kate just returned from 3 weeks at her home in France.

I enjoyed Kate and friends. Chatted the time away. All great people.

Met Jeff and Linda for the first time. From Chicago. Bought a home here 3 years ago. Snowbirds. Can’t wait to be full time residents.

Can’t blame them.

Decided on Hogfish for dinner. Second time in recent days. Enjoyed hogfish again.

Key lime pie was a featured dessert. I craved. Capitulated. Went for it. Delicious! A little cheating here and there has not affected my diet.

It rained mid-day yesterday. As it has in recent days, a monsoon/hurricane storm. For quite a while. Would not end.

Unusual weather for this time of year.

As I was listening to the howling pouring rain, Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head ran through my mind. Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s song from 1969.

The theme in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. My mind returned to Paul Newman riding a bicycle with Katharine Ross perched on the handlebars.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in the Keys History section mentioned that on this day in 1929, the Improved Order of Red Men and Degree of Pocahontas opened its 56th annual Great Sun Council at the Strand Theater on Duval. The old theater now a Walgreens.

My curiosity was aroused. Who were these people? Such a strange name.

We have to go back to the Boston Tea Party in 1765 for the answer. The Patriots who dumped the tea overboard were known as Sons of Liberty. They were disguised as Red Men. Also known as Indians. Now Native Americans.

In 1813, a group of white men formed a fraternal lodge known as the Society of Red Men. Named after the Boston tea party Patriots.

From a handful of members in 1813, the organization grew to 519,000 in 1921. Its numbers fell. To 15,000 in 2011. The organization is still alive and active in spite of its reduced membership.

Only whites were permitted to membership till 1974.

The group’s structure is similar to Freemasonry.

A female auxiliary was formed in 1885. Degree of Pocahontas.

Time changes everything. The Red Men significantly reduced in number, the Strand Theater now a Walgreens.

Starbucks was recently confronted with an embarrassing situation. Two black businessmen wanted to use one of its rest rooms. They had not purchased coffee and apparently did not intend to do so. Local management prohibited the use of the bathroom. Words were exchanged. Police called. The men arrested.

Within a short period of time, the Starbucks national office had the charges dropped and apologies extended.

Starbucks has gone even a step further. It announced a new policy. People can sit at a Starbucks without buying anything.

I always thought such was the case. Many the Starbucks I have sat, read a newspaper or worked on my computr while not ordering anything. For some reason, I thought Starbucks was for people to enjoy without purchase if they wished. What wasn’t, now is.

Corporal punishment for school students is alive and well in 15 states. Would you believe? Bend over the desk and get your ass paddled!

Arkansas a state permitting corporal punishment. Came to my attention as a result of National School Walkout Day. Involved the Arkansas Greenbrier Public School. Greenbrier is located in an ultra conservative area.

Three students opted to participate in National Walkout Day. Only 3. They were vocally insulted and degraded by their fellow students. Two among the smartest in their class. The 3 consisting of both genders.

They left school and sat on a bench on school grounds for 17 minutes. They were told to return to class or face punishment. They opted to remain for the 17 minutes.

They were directed to the principal’s office upon reentry. They were given a choice as to punishment. Corporal punishment or a 2 day suspension. The punishments offered dictated by school board and school policy. The 3 agreed to corporal punishment. Two swats by a paddle on their derrieres.

Their parents were advised of the punishment prior to it being inflicted.

I consider the use of corporal punishment barbaric. In this case, the use of violence on 3 students who were protesting violence. A state sanctioning it and the parents agreeing to it some form of insanity in this day and age.

I admire the 3 protesters. They followed their consciences and took their punishment. They will go far in life.

St. Patrick’s Day did not turn out as anticipated. No corned beef and cabbage. Neither in a restaurant or as a take out. Restaurants too busy for take out. Terri fell eliminating going out to a restaurant.

Bear follows Terri everywhere. Always at her feet. While at home, he somehow got between her legs and she went down. Her head and knees came in contact with the tile floor. Ok, but sore.

Bear lay next to her on the floor crying.

Bear is 14 weeks old today. Getting big! Very big! We are solid friends. He has taken to me. I was seated on the couch most of the time. He was next to me, with me, etc.

Terri into dogs in her past life. Bear is already trained in certain respects. Upon command, he sits, lays down, offers his paw, and high fives. Except, the high fives are both paws.

We ended up ordering from Sandy’s Cafe. They deliver. A Cuban meal for 3 under $20. I had my favorite, Cuban cheese toast with tomato and a cup of Cuban coffee.

Bear and I watched most of the Kentucky/Buffalo game together. Buffalo has a better team each year. This year, the best so far. Though an underdog, I thought they might upset Kentucky. I was wrong. Kentucky killed them.

This afternoon at 2:40 on CBS, Syracuse/Michigan State. Syracuse the underdog once again.

I hope to watch the game and then hurry over to Kate Miano’s Gardens. Early Sunday evening always a fun time there. An added reason tonight. Terri is singing.

At some point, I have to shop. The refrigerator totally lacking in food. All I had yesterday before the Cuban sandwich at Donna and Terri’s was a cup of tea and 4 slices of bacon. No wonder I am losing weight!

For a month, Diana Millikan has been forwarding me information gathered from The Jews of Key West. Author Key West’s Arlo Haskell. When we met for dinner recently, she brought her copy of the book for me to glance over.

Diana thought the book was terrific. She was correct.

It has been announced that The Jews of Key West has received the 2017 Florida Book Award.

Trump is impressed by dictators. Perhaps evidencing a desire on his part to become one.

The Philippines and China have a drug problem. It was overwhelming at one point. No longer. Duterte and Xi kill drug dealers. With little or no attention payed to judicial process. Duterte has them shot on the street.

Both men came to this kill them outright approach based on a simple rationale. They were executing a person for killing one person. Drug dealers ultimately are responsible for the deaths of thousands. Justification enough. Kill them, too!

Trump has advised he likes the approach. He has promised a plan to deal with drug dealers this week. The kill them all approach, I suspect.

Opioids are killing 115 plus persons a day in the U.S. Most manufactured by American pharmaceutical companies. A few pharmaceutical CEO’s should be indicted for producing these killers of hundreds of thousands of our people. Everyone agrees the problem is at a crisis stage.

Two Pharma employees and 5 doctors were recently arrested in New York. Pharma was sponsoring educational programs. Doctors were invited to speak for which they received exorbitant fees. A pre-condition to the invitation was that the doctors had to be big prescribers of Fentanyl Spray. The fee received based on the number of prescriptions for the Fentanyl Spray a doctor wrote.

Doctors were entertained lavishly to jump on board. A Pharma representative greeted several at a New York strip club. Pharma paid $4,100 for a private room, alcoholic drinks, and lap dances.

I do not agree with Trump’s thoughts re making the death penalty applicable to drug dealers. A step too far. If he does however, he should add drug company CEO’s who produce a product contributing to the opioid crisis.

Next to impossible to find. If available, expensive. Like $8 for a small one.

Why no stone crabs?

Two reasons.

The first Irma. Screwed up what is below the water as well as that above.

The other, cold fronts. Crabs are driven to the Keys by cold fronts. We have not had one yet this year. The cold this past week kid stuff compared to a real one.

Fortunately, the stone crab season lasts till May 15. We should have a cold front or two by then. Hopefully crabs galore. Unless Irma’s impact on them more significant than thought.

Yesterday’s blog lacked a most important saturday afternoon event. The Syracuse/Georgetown game. Syracuse won in overtime 86-79.

A typical hard fought game. As in the old days when the two teams met in Big East games.

Georgetown was up by 13 in the second half. Syracuse fought back and tied at the buzzer. Syracuse then out scored Georgetown by 7 points in overtime.

The best Syracuse game I have seen in a couple of years.

Go ‘Cuse!

I stayed in saturday night. The success Irma and me is having caused me to remain home working on my next book. Growing Up Italian. Irma has motivated me to do more.

I should have been out and about.

Doug Jones and Jimmy Buffett in town! Unannounced.

Jean Thornton has many friends. Someone called her and said be at Margaritaville at 8. Tell no one. Jean was not told why she should be there. She suspected maybe Buffett.

She was there. So too were Buffett and Doug Jones.

Jones and wife Louisa are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary at a friend’s home in Key West. Jean is from Alabama. A Republican, of course. She rushed up to Jones excitedly and told him it was the first time in 28 years she had voted Democratic.

Then Buffett appeared. He played his guitar and sang for one hour.

The place was packed! Jean not the only one who had a friend. People out on the sidewalk for a look see and to hear Buffett.

Buffet sang Stars Fell Over Alabama in honor of Jones’ victory.

Nice that Buffett decided to “…..headin’ back to Key West town.”

Today’s Key West Citizen had only a few photos of the Lighted Boat Parade. Looked good! Also, a few photos of the first I Love Stock Island Lighted Boat Parade. Looked good, also.

The first I Love Stock Island Boat Parade and other events appear to be the beginning of a tradition. Go Stock Island!

I was out and about last night. Began with Kate Miano’s Gardens.

Terri White performing. My love! For the first time since her cancer surgeries. She appears on the mend.

The crowd was large out of respect for Terri. She failed them not. Her singing, Terri! Nothing changed. Outstanding.

I chatted with Terri, Donna, Tash, Kate, Jean, and Libby York amongst others. Also, Jan Gebhart and Bob Pracher. Had not seen them in a while.

Last night was the first time I met Libby York. Her singing well known beyond Key West. Places like New York, Chicago, and Paris.

Libby will be performing at The Gardens in a couple of weeks. She also opens thursday and every thursday thereafter at the Little Jazz Room Club.

Libby not new to Key West. She has had a home here since 1980.

The New York Times described her as “a juicy singer of cool composure and artful subtlety.”

Jean and I had dinner later at Antonia’s. She is supposed to leave today for Birmingham on Delta. Not sure she will get out.

I am still on the diet. Seem to have plateaued. Lost only one pound this past week. I have not cheated once. Ergo, the only one pound loss bothers me. I need to see success on the scale!

Today a significant one in Christmas folklore. Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol this date in 1843. The story of the old miser Ebenezer Scrooge, Timothy Cratchit, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come. Their visits transform Scrooge into a kinder, gentler man.

The first Christmas Carol movie came out in 1938. My mother took me to see it. I was all of 3-4 years old. Scared me big time! Ever since, I have had a distaste for the film and change the channel when it shows up on TV.

Some believe the movie to be the granddaddy of all holiday shows. One critic described it as the best of the worst Christmas movies. I agree with the critic.

My writing mood continued into yesterday. Rewrote passages to Growing Up Italian all day. Into the night. Never left the house.

I have now been home two full days. Definitely must get out today. I will be at Kate Miano’s Gardens late this afternoon. Terri White singing. I can use a dose of Terri and conversation with friends.

The Christmas Boat Parade last night. Had I been out, I would have watched a bit of it from the ocean deck at the Pier House. The weather was good. The Boat Parade would therefore have been pleasant to watch.

The Key West Citizen publishes on Saturday for Saturday and Sunday. I have to wait till tomorrow’s edition to see the parade’s pics and review the comments concerning the parade.

Don’t forget Larry Smith’s Holiday Jazz Concert friday at 8 at The Studios of Key West. Larry has been performing the show for years. Changes it each year. Always good. A must to see!

Today big in the history of flying. On this date in 1903, the Wright brothers flew a plane they had created. The first plane ever to fly. All of 12 seconds for a distance of 120 feet. History rarely reminds us that the plane flew a total of four times that day. The fourth time, 852 feet in 59 seconds.

In the 1960s when I was flying around the country on behalf of clients, I would occasionally think how far man had come with air travel since that day in 1903. Man stepping on the moon was the ultimate!

All achieved in the short time of 60 odd years.

Trump is taking things away from us a step at a time each and every day. The man a destroyer at heart.

The most recent tragedy involves the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The Center is tasked with saving and protecting the lives of the most vulnerable.

I am personally familiar with the Center. My environmental law work took me there many times. I was concerned with toxins. Hazardous substances that affected many. Nasty bugs that could kill many in an instance if released.

Trump’s interest is corporate America. He has stripped EPA regulations. His attitude is things are not as bad as some make them seem. If corporate America thinks something is safe, it must be. Keep the people in the dark. What they do not know will not hurt them.

The Trump Administration announced , no ordered, the Center to stop using certain words in 2018 budget documents. Seven specifically. Transgender, vulnerable, entitlement, science-based, and evidence-based.

Words have been suggested in their place. Modifying terms. Such that lower a danger involved and in certain instances by silence deny the existence of certain groups such as transgenders.

The recommendation is that descriptive words should be based on community standards and wishes.

Trump is weakening the truth. The order barring certain words reckless and dangerous. A major epidemic could overtake the country because the Center was not able to effectively warn against it and research the problem before it hit full force.

Trump will be signing the tax bill into law this week. He will continue to tell us it is a big break for the middle class. Bullshit we all know. It is a tax break for the rich to the detriment of the middle class.

Trump has become an economic authority. Lyndon Johnson said, “Making a speech on economics is a lot like pissing down your leg. It seems hot to you, but it never does to anyone else.”

Congress is screwing up probably more than any other time in history. The Republicans follow Pied Piper Trump and the Democrats fail to provide effective opposition.

John Kennedy stated re Congress, “What can you expect from that zoo?”

Want some pleasant reading? Buy a copy of Irma and Me. Good reading! Easy. Enjoyable. Available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Too much heart ache lately. Harvey, Irma, Maria, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas. Time for a change of pace. Something light. A bit of love.

Some enchanted evening…..Opening words to Some Enchanted Evening. Uplifting.

Heard the song sung for the first time in years monday at Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna singing as only he can.

Some Enchanted Evening opened on Broadway in 1949. An immediate hit. Starred Enzio Pinza and Mary Martin. Pinza sang Some Enchanted Evening.

The movie was not produced till nine years later. Pinza dead by that time. Rossano Brazzi starred in the movie version.

Rogers and Hammerstein wrote the music and lyrics.

I was in my first year of high school when the musical opened on Broadway. My second year of law school when the movie came out. Danced lovingly to some Enchanted Evening during the time frame and since. Unfortunately, rarely these days.

Blog Talk Radio produces the podcast. They offer it to advertisers with the representation: “Always an interesting perspective on everyday issues.” I try.

Stopped for a drink at Don’s Place late monday afternoon. Missy bartending. Enjoyed our conversation. She stayed for Irma. Her home small, but between 2 large concrete buildings. Her home equipped with all kind of helpful items. Like a generator that can run forever. She had stored fuel in anticipation. Ergo, her refrigerator and air conditioning worked.

Ran into David scootering out of The Gardens. His mobile home destroyed by Irma. FEMA putting him up for a time. List of FEMA provided hotels/motels included The Gardens.

David had never heard of The Gardens. The finest and most expensive hotel in Key West. Kate Miano’s wonder!

I told David to stay at The Gardens, if he could. I had to convince him.

Yesterday, he told me the place was terrific! He was in a cottage, had a suite, etc.

I have been trying to reach Dr. Langley’s office. I am changing primary care physicians. I had been telephoning to ask that my records be e-mailed to the new doctor. Phone never working.

Receptionist told me everything was still down with them. Wi-fi and telephone. Could not e-mail. She would print out my records and I will pick them up today.

Comcast’s record generally leaves much to be desired. Someone recently told me of an obituary they read where an elderly woman had passed away. The obituary reflected that her life was a happy one, except for three things. One of the three was Comcast!

Key West’s Irma recovery a day at the time. A little better each day. We will return in full force by Fantasy Fest.

I knock the Key West City Commission frequently. Incompetents at governing. They finally did something correctly, however.

It was announced that because of damages and repair costs due to Irma, the 3-5 percent real property tax increase contemplated was being rolled back. Means no tax increase for the upcoming year.

Governor Rick Scott has become my favorite political person due to his handling of Irma. He continues to be concerned and active.

Governor Scott will be in Key West tomorrow morning. The Marriott Beachside at 10:30. He is giving an Irma update. Open to the public.

Trump’s Puerto Rico visit yesterday a disgrace. I won’t bother you with the details. They are being reported all over TV and the internet.

Bottom line remains the same…..Trump is lacking sympathy and only cares about his image which he generally projects erroneously.

I am thrilled!

Parking in Key West a pain! Especially for those living outside its boundary lines. City issued parking permits are available to residents only.

I recently moved. My former residence was 2.5 miles outside Key West. Key West parking was not easy. My new residence is located on the Golf Course.

Turns out a portion of the Golf Course is a part of Key West. I live in that area!

I received a new card telling me I was henceforth to vote in Key West. Aroused my curiosity as to parking. Checked it out. Yes, I am entitled to a parking permit. Whoopee! Whoopee tells you how difficult it is to park in Key West.